Leisure Sites Grow in Popularity Among Online Brits

News, 08 February 2002

Around 18 million Britons are now online, according to BMRB’sInternet Monitor, with increasing numbers using the internet for leisure-related activities.

The proportion of surfers hitting websites for “business purposes” fell from 43% to 40% in the year to November, says the survey, while those scouring the net for school or college work tumbled from 42% to 36%.

On the other hand, web-based leisure activities (such as travel, entertainment and sending messages to friends) are increasing as motivations for going online. Recording particularly rapid growth in this sector was game playing, a pastime enjoyed by 31% of respondents in November 2001 compared with 25% a year earlier.

In addition, shopping and financial services sites are growing in popularity. The proportion of surfers visiting an e-tailer rose from 57% to 68%, while those going to online banking destinations jumped from 29% to 41%.

BMRB suggests that lying behind these trends is a change in the profile of internet users, not least the increasing online presence of women and over-45s.

All rights reserved including database rights. This electronic file is for the personal use of authorised users based at the subscribing company's office location. It may not be reproduced, posted on intranets, extranets or the internet, e-mailed, archived or shared electronically either within the purchaser's organisation or externally without express written permission from WARC.

Email this content

Send colleagues a link to this content.
To send to more than one recipient, put a comma between email addresss.